About 15 years ago, I was in Barnes and Noble, minding my own business when I was drawn across the aisle to a very plan, tan book that I would normally never pick up. The book was "Highly Sensitive People". I thought it was people who are "overly sensitive" - you know how people say that sometimes. In a way, it is about that, but it is about WHY people are like that. Like any self-help book, it had a little quiz in the beginning of the book and I took it. I'm pretty sure that I answered true to all but one of the questions. I'm pretty sure that if you answer True to like 5 or more, it is likely that you are an HSP. I'm not even sure what they call someone who answered all but one question that way. Like Super HSP or something like that. Anyway, the book was really helpful in understanding my own reactions to things and trying to find ways to self-soothe or to avoid getting overstimulated.
Lately, I have noticed a return of feeling uncomfortably overstimulated, so I ordered a newer book, "The Highly Sensitive Person's Survival Guide". I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of this book. It kind of came to a head on Sunday night when I was watching (of all things) "America's Funniest Home Videos". I usually have that on on Sundays - it is innocuous enough and I don't have to pay too much attention to it. This week, there was video of people crashing into things. I don't find those videos funny - I actually have a visceral reaction to some of them. One guy bounced his bike or something on top of a big can-shaped structure and it caved in. I got this really strong zing from my waist up the back of my neck and up through my arms. I have had some physical sensations to seeing this kind of thing before but never like this. It was really disturbing and it made me kind of realize that I have been feeling "highly sensitive" lately and maybe need to look into what I need to do to mellow out.
It's weird how we are all so different, isn't it?
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